Perfecting-press for printing sheets



(No Model.) 7

W. G. WENDTE. PERFEGTING PRESS FOR PRINTING SHEETS.

No. 530,813. Patented Dec. 11,1894.

I mum/r05 MM M WITNESSES THE nonms PEYERS (30.. Pum'mu'mo, WASHINGTON, 'n. c.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM o. WENDTE, or

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PERFECTING-PR ESS FOR PRINTIN G SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,813, dated December 11, 1894. Application filed June 11, 1894. s ial N 514,217. (No model.)

T0 and whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. WENDTE': a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Perfecting-Presses for Printing Sheets, (designated Case F,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention is related to thelarge class of machines which print on both sides of the paper fed to them before it leaves the same, and it is especially designed to establish means for the production of such work which shall consist of a relatively'small and compact. machine of simple construction, to which the sheets of paper that are to receive the impressions may be rapidly supplied.

In the drawings which form part of this specification, Figure 1, is a diagrammatic representation of my press as seen from one side. Fig. 2, is a similar view illustrating a modifi cation affecting the number of forms.

In the figures the two main cylinders of equal size are marked 10 and 12respectively. These are provided each with forms, marked 14 on one cylinder and 16 on the other, as also with impression-surfaces, marked 18 on one cylinder and 20 on the other. On each cylinder the form and impression-surfaces are separated from each other by gaps which provide space for the usual devices required to attach the curved forms to the form-supports, and the blankets to the impression-surfaces; also the grippers 22 and 24 for each impression-surface find space in said gaps.

The cylinders 10 and 12 are geared together and run in operative contact with each other. Meshing with them are also two auxiliary cylinders 26 and 28; 26 with the main cylinder 10, and 28 with the main cylinder 12. These cylinders are essentially'impression-cylinders and are provided each with a blanket and gap, but they also act as delivery-cylinders and for that purpose the grippers 30 and 32 are placed in the gap of each respectively for use as will be hereinafter explained.

In this perfecting press there are two sets of form-rollers for each main cylinder, and means are provided for lifting each out of operative contact with the cylinder surface and dropping them on the form when they are functionally required. Eachsetof these rolls is marked 34' and 34 on 10, and 36' and 36 on 12.

As shown in the figures the sheets of paper which are to receive the impressions are taken 1 by boys from the feed-boards 38 and 40, and presented to the grippers 22 and 24, but not at-the same part of a complete revolution of I the press. The sheets may also,of course, be presented by an automatic feeder,'cut from I a web, or in any other desired way.

In Fig. 1, the action of this press is as followsz-A sheet 42 having been seized by the I grippers 24 is carried on the impression-surface 20, to the contact line of the two cylinders and printed with the form 14 on the main cylinderlO, which has previously been inked by the form-rollers 34 as shown in the drawings. The sheet then continues to go forward passing the form-rollers 36 which at that time are lifted to the dotted position so as to clear the printed sheet, after which its leading edge is immediately seized by the grippers 32 and simultaneously released by those marked 24 in consequence of which it is transferred to and lapped, face down, about the auxiliary cylinder 28. While this is taking place, the sheet 42 being stripped from the impression-surface 20 and transferred as described, the form 16 reaches the position shown in Fig. 1, it is inked by the rolls 36 which fall upon it for that purpose, and immediately after the leading edge reaches the leading edge of the sheet on 28, which is then printed on the back and discharged as a perfected sheet to the fly 46 for final delivery in the well known way. The movement of the paper to the fly may be facilitated and determined after the grippers 32 have opened for the release thereof, bythe margin rollers 50, a well known device in deliveries of this kind but not essential; also, it may be added, that injury to the freshly printed face of the workas it lies upon the packing of, the auxiliary cylinder must be guardedagainst. This may removal of the offset sheet, for doing which there are many devices. In Fig. 1, the rolls of a tympan orofiset sheet for this purpose are represented by 52 and 54. The web from a pair of these on oneof the auxiliary cylinbe done by providing for a sufficiently rapid ders, is held by ratchets on the rolls, and then by rotating the latter in the same direction a predetermined quantity at every revolution of the press, the offset sheet is moved in one direction at a rate which prevents the accumulation of ink upon it from becoming sufficient to soil the paper. This mechanism is common and need not be more fully described. In the drawings moreover, the reel-rods for the blankets on the several impression-surfaces are not shown, to avoid confusion.

The necessity for lifting the sets of formrollers 34 and 36 (which ink the forms 14: and 16 when the same are about to print the faces of the sheets), is to prevent their inking the blankets 18 and 20, as they pass empty to receive the new sheets from their respective feed-boards.

For the sake of clearness the process of printing herein described has been restricted for the most part to the behavior of the sheet on one main cylinder and its directly related parts; but it should be understood that exactly double the amount of work is accomplished during a complete revolution of the press; and that both main cylinders supplemented by their auxiliary impression-cylinders all in reciprocal combination with each other perform the same series of acts. a

It will be seen that in this press while a single color will in most cases be used for both the face and back impressions on the sheets fed, still, if the form-rollers 34 and 34 apply, say, a red ink, while 36 and 56 apply black, the output at the delivery 44, will be black backed with red, and at 46 red backed with black.

In my invention it is not an essential condition that each main cylinder should have upon its surface one formand one impression-surface only arranged in alternating series. In Fig. 2, each main cylinder has two forms and two impression-surfaces, arranged in alternating sequence with each other, and a perfected sheet is therefore produced and delivered at every half revolution of the press. In a machine so modified the process of printing the paper on both sides still remains in all respects the same as that already described; but the ratio between the diameter of one of the main cylinders and that of its auxiliary impression-cylinder, which takes the sheet first to its own surface and then yields it to the delivery apparatus, is not as two to one, but is (see Fig. 2), as four to one; and would be if three forms were used on each main cylinder, as six to one; so that speaking generally, the diameter of one of the main cylinders is always to that of its auxiliary cylinder as double the number of forms on the first is to unity.

As a sheet perfecting press the machine I have invented is obviously very rapid, for it can be driven efficiently as quickly as two feeders can supply sheets and very much faster if automatic feeding apparatus is adopted.

In this specification I do not confine myself strictly to the devices shown and described, for it is obvious that the same can be varied without affecting the principle underlying my invention and involved in the same. When also, reference is made herein to the length of a form, or impression-surface, or gap, severally or together, the size of the same measured circumferentially in the direction of the run of the press, is always meant.

What I claim is- 1. In a perfecting press for printing sheets; two cylinders of equal size geared operatively together and provided each with one or more formand impression -surfaces placed operatively thereon and separated from each other by gaps; in combination and in operative contact each with an auxiliary impression-cylinder the circumference of whichis equal in length to the length of an impression-surface and gap upon one of the main cylinders, and which is adjusted angularly to'presenta sheet thereon to every form upon the main cylinder which passes said auxiliary cylinder; substantially as described.

2. In a perfecting press for printing sheets; two main cylinders of equal size geared operatively together and provided each with one or more formand impression-surfaces alternately placed, and separated from each other by gaps; in combination with sheet-feeding apparatus to each of said main cylinders; with a set of grippers for each impressionsurface thereon; with an auxiliary cylinder for each main cylinder in operative contact therewith and related in diameter thereto as one is to twice the number of. forms on the main cylinder; with grippers for the auxiliary impression -cylinder adapted and adjusted angularly to seize and hold a partly printed sheet on the same while a form passes it; and with delivery apparatus to receive the perfected sheet from the auxiliary impressioncylinder and transport it from the press; substantially as described.

3. In a perfecting press for printing sheets; two cylinders of equal size geared operatively together and provided each with a formand with an impressionsurface; in combination and in operative contact each with one auxiliary impression-cylinder of half the diameter of the main cylinders provided with grippens, and adapted and adjusted angularly to take from one of the latter a sheet printed on one side, and present the back thereof to the form upon the main cylinder which passes the same; substantially as described.

4. In a perfecting press for printing sheets; two cylinders of equal size geared operatively together and having a formand an impression-surface provided with grippers on each, in combination with a sheet-feeding device for each cylinder; with two auxiliaryimpression-cylinders of half the diameter of the main cylinders in operative contact with the same, one with each; and with grippers on the latter adapted to seize and transfer the sheets from the impression-surfaces on the ICO IIO

one for each main cylinder; with two auxiliary impression-cylinders provided with grippers and geared operatively to the main cylinders one to each; with two independent sets of inking rollers for each form, controlled by cams or their equivalents for lifting and dropping each of the same to and from the forms; and with delivery apparatus for taking the perfected sheets from the auxiliary impression-cylinders; substantially as described.

WILLIAM C. WENDTE. Witnesses:

HERBERT MORISSEY, H. P. GUILLo. 

